Accessing Affordable Capital

One of the greatest barriers to entry for starting or growing a small business in the Delta region is the availability and accessibility of affordable capital. In rural Delta communities, there is often a lack of access to sound banking services, safe lending opportunities, and the capital needed to achieve business success.

We know that:

57 percent of DRA counties and parishes received zero loan support from Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) from 2009-2012;

Only 20 percent of the $1.24 billion in CDFI loans to DRA counties and parishes went to small businesses as micro-loans; and

Less than 10 percent of these CDFI loans were made in rural communities.